persimmon wedges with warm hazelnuts

I make this appetizer over and over at Thanksgiving because it’s quick, it’s beautiful, and it’s even healthy (you can leave the oil out if you just want to serve the fruit and nuts). Plus it leaves room to gorge on the rest of the meal and isn’t that the most important thing a Thanksgiving appetizer can do? Buy fuyu persimmons (shown in photo), the squat, firm ones that taste like a cross between an apple and a peach, and not the bell-shaped soft ones used for puddings (hachiyas).

ingredients

1-1/2 cups whole hazelnuts or walnuts (see note)
4 fuyu persimmons
hazelnut oil or walnut oil
fleur de sel salt, optional

directions

Warm nuts in a small baking pan in a 325°F oven until you can smell them, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, peel persimmons and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Arrange on a plate. Drizzle with a thin stream of oil. Place warm nuts in a bowl and serve alongside the persimmons. Sprinkle a few grains of fleur de sel over the persimmons, if desired.

note: substitute salted mixed nuts if you want, but don’t salt the persimmons in that case.